LUCKNOW, Nov. 2 -- In an embarrassment for the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), the Stage-II recruitment examination scheduled for Sunday was cancelled, affecting around 8,500 candidates. SGPGIMS officials claimed that the exam was cancelled after internet connectivity problems disrupted biometric verification at three of seven centres in Lucknow. The disruption raised questions about the institute's preparedness, examination management and accountability, with candidates drawing parallels with the NEET controversy. The institute has roped in the Special Task Force (STF) to investigate the incident, promised to conduct a re-examination within a month and warned that those found guilty would not be spared. The examination was part of a recruitment process initiated through an advertisement issued on August 1, 2025 (No. 1-08/1-12/Rect/2025-26). The first-stage examination was conducted in June 2026, while Sunday's offline Stage-II test was for recruitment to 300 hospital attendant Grade-II and 1,700 nursing posts. Candidates had been waiting for months to progress to the next stage of selection. According to officials, the disruption occurred at SDSN Degree College, SDSN Public School and Juris College of Law, all in Chhota Bharwara, Gomti Nagar. While examinations at the other four centres proceeded as scheduled, candidates at these three centres faced delays in biometric verification, eventually forcing the institute to cancel the examination. The examination cell formally announced the decision through a notification issued on Sunday (November 1), attributing the cancellation to "operational issues on the part of the conducting agency". The explanation, however, failed to satisfy candidates, who questioned how a premier medical institution, as the recruiting authority, could not ensure uninterrupted internet connectivity and adequate backup arrangements for an examination involving thousands of aspirants. "It seems nothing has been learnt from the NEET fiasco. How can an institution of SGPGI's stature fail to make basic arrangements for an examination?" asked Gaurav Kumar, a candidate who had reached SDSN Degree College. Joint director (hospital administration) Prakash Singh said the preliminary examination and biometric verification had been conducted about a month ago. The institute had nevertheless decided to hold the Stage-II examination offline, along with fresh biometric verification, to ensure that only genuine candidates appeared. "Examinations at four centres went off as scheduled, but at the other three, internet connectivity problems delayed biometric verification, disrupting the process. Allegations of a paper leak are completely baseless, as the envelopes containing question papers were returned in sealed condition," Singh said. He said the examination agency is a public sector organisation and officials responsible for the disruption were being identified. "Strict action will be taken against those found responsible. We apologise to the candidates for the inconvenience. The re-examination will be conducted within a month," he added. Taking serious note of the incident, SGPGIMS director Dr Radha Krishna Dhiman said the institute had sought the STF's assistance. "At our request, the STF has been roped in to probe the entire incident. SGPGIMS routinely seeks the STF's assistance whenever it conducts examinations. I would not like to speculate about anything at this stage, but all aspects will be investigated and anybody found guilty will not be spared," Dhiman said. He said he had sought a detailed report on the cancellation and assured that responsibility would be fixed. Candidates also reached the institute to meet the director and seek clarity on the next examination date. They were assured that the examination would be conducted within a month. For candidates who had travelled from outside Lucknow, the cancellation meant not only disappointment but also an additional financial burden. A nursing candidate who had travelled from Chandigarh said she had already spent around Rs.10,000 to reach Lucknow for the examination. "I am not earning at present and have spent Rs.10,000 just to appear for this examination. There are additional expenses, loss of time and the uncertainty of preparing all over again. Imagine the situation of candidates who have travelled from even farther places," she said. Chief medical superintendent Dr Devendra Gupta said he was not involved in the examination process and had no information about the incident. However, for nearly 8,500 aspirants, the recruitment process that began in August 2025 has now brought another round of uncertainty....